Dying Chargers fan, 80, gets visit from a player

The Chargers left town yesterday but playoff prep didn't deter team member Andre Coleman from visiting an 80-year-old Chula Vista man with inoperable liver cancer the day before leaving.

Chula Vistan Linda Schley had written the Chargers about her neighbor, Rudy Martinez, and his dying wish to attend a football game. His deteriorating health made getting to a game this season both financially and physically impossible. So Coleman, a defensive end on the practice squad, went to visit him on Thursday.

Unfortunately, Martinez, a retired civilian worker at Naval Air Station North Island, had slipped into a coma Saturday night after watching the Chargers/Colts game on TV.

Although her dad couldn't open his eyes, Martinez' daughter, Cecelia, believes he knew Coleman was there in the room with him.

As Coleman left he told the Martinez family: “This game will be for him, and we're going to win.”

Getting 'Charged'
A case of fever broke out at West Hills High School in Santee – Chargers fever, that is. Yesterday, nearly everyone from cafeteria workers and grounds keepers to students, teachers and administrators wore Chargers colors and gear. Plus, when students changed classes, it was to the music of the “San Diego Super Chargers” theme song . .

All bets are on:

Local Congressman Brian Bilbray and Pittsburgh's Mike Doyle agreed that the congressman from the losing city would buy lunch for the staff of the winner. So, in the Capitol, the stakes are Bilbray's Mexican combos from Rubio's and Stone Brewery beer vs. Doyle's Primanti Brothers sandwiches and Iron City Beer.

Upping the ante, Lee Goodman, CEO of Jerome's Furniture warehouse, swapped bets with Paul Sanford, a furniture store competitor from Pittsburgh. If the Steelers win, Goodman will write a $2,500 check to the Chargers Community Foundation. If the Chargers win, Sanford pledges to give $2,500 to the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital.

The singer/songwriter, from Utah, was visiting a young patient with a life-threatening illness at the request of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Maddie, with her mom, Michelle, and brother, Drew, bumped into Archuleta as he left the hospital. So Archuleta graciously posed with Maddie for an impromptu photo on her mom's cell phone.

Local Make-a-Wish head Chris Sichel said Archuleta was humble and generous and didn't hesitate to re-arrange his schedule and immediately fly in from Utah to grant the child's wish. “I didn't know much about him before, but I'm a big fan now,” Sichel says. . .

My mention of San Diegan Joe Panetta being no relation Leon Panetta, Obama's choice for CIA director, reminded Beacham Construction's Bill Walsh of his name connection with the late San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh.

“I used to get incredible Palo Alto restaurant reservations,” reports Walsh, “and incredibly poor service once I arrived.”